Buckles of various types are known for use in many different applications, including, for example, clothing, sporting gear, luggage, safety and other equipment, military gear and the like. Two-part buckle assemblies are known in a variety of different constructions. In a two-part buckle, cooperating first and second buckle parts are provided with structure having interlocking components, allowing releasable locking engagement of the components.
In a two-part buckle, it is known to provide a female buckle component attached to one part of an article and a male buckle component attached to another part of the article. For example, the female component may be anchored to one end of a strap and the male component connected to another end of the same strap or a different strap. The female buckle component defines a chamber or pocket into which the male component can be inserted, with various types of interlocking engagement provided within the pocket for elements of the female buckle component and of the male buckle component. It is known to disengage the male buckle component from the female buckle component by depressing one or more parts of the male buckle component from interlocking engagement with parts of the female buckle component.
Such known buckles have worked well in a variety of applications, both light duty and heavy duty. However, particularly for buckles designed to carry heavy loads, the procedure for disengaging the male buckle component from the female buck component can be difficult to perform, particularly if weight is still applied against the buckle. To disengage the buckle easily, it is sometimes necessary to independently support the weight of the article, to thereby remove force exerted against the buckle components. Even so, because of the resiliency of the buckle components, disengagement can be difficult. However, buckles that release more easily may have insufficient holding strength to support heavy loads.
In some applications and use of such buckles, it is necessary to release the buckle quickly in an emergency situation, with the user under personal duress. For example, military or police personnel often are required to carry heavy loads supported by straps and buckles around their shoulders. In a critical or emergency situation, it is desirable to release the load quickly so that the individual is unburdened from the load being carried. As one example, it is advantageous for a soldier to be able to release a backpack quickly if the soldier encounters the enemy. The heavy backpack is still supported by straps over the shoulders of the individual carrying it, and it is inconvenient and time consuming to attempt to separately support the backpack so that the buckle can be disengaged more easily.
Others, too, may experience emergency situations in which it is desirable to quickly release a buckle, even while still supporting a heavy load. Outdoor enthusiasts, such as mountain climbers, rock climbers, hikers and the like may encounter emergency situations in which it is desirable to release backpacks for personal safety reasons. Again, releasing known buckles while the buckle components are still under tension from supporting a load can be difficult, and independently supporting the load to make buckle release easier is time consuming and may not even be possible under the particular emergency situation.
What is needed in the art is a two-part buckle that has sufficient holding strength to support heavy loads, yet can be released quickly, easily and reliably while still supporting the load.